Apple patents 3D view that extends phone screen into real world
Apple describes a system that uses a device's camera to create a 3D view of the real world, then overlays a virtual extension of another device's screen onto that view. This allows users to see and interact with digital content that appears to physically extend beyond the actual hardware display.
In the filing’s own words
Some embodiments of the disclosure are directed to an augmented representation of a first electronic device. A three-dimensional representation of a first electronic device (e.g., an augmented device) is presented using a second electronic device in a three-dimensional environment. The three-dimensional environment includes captured portions of a real-world environment, optionally including the first electronic device. The augmented representation of the first electronic device includes a virtual user interface element representing an extension of the physical display of the first electronic device. The representation of the augmented device includes a display of the augmented user interface. The augmented device is optionally configured to display some or all of the user interfaces operating on the first electronic device. Manipulations of and/or interactions with the augmented representation of the first electronic device are possible.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method comprising: at a first electronic device in communication with one or more displays and one or more input devices: capturing, via the one or more input devices, at least a portion of a real-world environment including a second electronic device configurable to display a user interface; presenting, via the one or more displays, a three-dimensional environment including: a representation of the captured portion of the real-world environment including a representation of the second electronic device; a representation of the user interface of the second electronic device; and a representation of a first object corresponding to data stored at the first electronic device outside the representation of the user interface of the second electronic device; while presenting the three-dimensional environment including the representation of the captured portion of the real-world environment, the representation of the user interface, and the representation of the first object, receiving an input; and in accordance with the input, transferring the data corresponding to the first object from the first electronic device to the second electronic device.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- SYSTEM AND METHOD OF AUGMENTED REPRESENTATION OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE
- Publication number
- US20260278965A1
- Application number
- 19682196
- Filed
- May 19, 2026
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 24
Classified under
G06T 19/006 Physics & computingG06T 2200/24 Physics & computingMore from Apple in AR, VR & displays
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.